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What to look for when choosing a processor?

What to look for when choosing a processor? 26 July 2023

There are many factors to consider when choosing a CPU for a server or computer. All CPUs perform the same function, but each of them differs in their technical characteristics. In this article we will look at the main factors to consider when selecting a processor.

The most important technical indicator of each server is the number of threads, cores and clock speed. The number of cores determines the multitasking capability of the processor and the ability to process data in parallel. Clock speed, in turn, affects the speed of the processor. Do not skimp on this hardware, because the central processor is considered the heart of the computer system. In addition to the above factors, when choosing a processor, you should pay attention to:

  • Purpose of use: Initially you need to identify the main tasks to be performed by the processor. If a CPU is needed for gaming it is best to choose a CPU with a higher clock frequency and core efficiency. 
  • Architecture: CPUs are forever improving, which leads to a new architecture. This in turn increases the efficiency of the part. 
  • Cache memory: The processor uses the cache memory as a temporary storage for information and is allocated by a fast memory transfer. If the amount of cache memory is large enough, it will definitely affect the performance. 
  • Budget: The most important parameter when choosing a processor. As of 2023, the CPU market offers a large selection of spare parts at a wide range of prices. 
  • Socket and solution: Not all processors are compatible with all computer boards. That is why you should check the sockets before making a final purchase decision.

The 3 best CPU for medium complexity

As an example we have chosen 3 most popular processors which can boast a reasonable price and great power. The first on our list is Intel Xeon E5-2699 v4 processor with 2.2 gigahertz. It is distinguished by 22 cores and 22 threads. The mentioned CPU can be installed on motherboards with LGA 2011-3 socket.  Xeon E5-2699 v4 is considered to be a very popular solution in the mid-price segment.

Title Intel Xeon E5-2699 v4
Number of cores 22 cores
Clock frequency 2.2 GHz
Cache memory 55 MB of cache memory
Integrated graphics No
Number of threads 22 threads

Next in the selection is another processor from Intel, namely Xeon Gold 6148. It has as many as 40 threads and 20 cores. The base frequency of this CPU starts from 2.40 GHz and reaches 3.70 GHz when overclocked. This processor is included in the list of the best budget CPUs for servers.

Name Intel Xeon Gold 6148
Number of cores 20 cores
Clock speed 2,4 GHz to 3.7 GHz
Cache memory 28 MB of cache memory
Integrated Graphics None
Number of threads 40 threads

The last in our selection is another product from Intel, which has gained great popularity among budget CPUs for servers - Xeon Gold 6248r. It stands out for its excellent performance, which is possible thanks to 24 cores and 48 threads. The clock frequency of this CPU starts from 3.00 GHz and is overclocked up to 4.00 GHz with the help of Turbo Boost technology.

Title Intel Xeon Gold 6248r
Number of cores 24 cores
Clock speed 3,0 GHz to 4,0 GHz
Cache memory 35,75 MB of cache memory
Integrated Graphics None
Number of threads 48 threads

Specialists of our company are ready to help you purchase the server and select the necessary server configuration for any required task.


Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 1536 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 1536 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 1536 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF (4x NVME) Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 1536 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF Bay 1.8" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 2048 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 4LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 2048 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 2048 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 2048 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF (4x NVME) Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 2048 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF (8x NVME) Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF + 2SFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 16LFF + 2SFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF (4x NVME) Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 26SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 26SFF (4x NVME) Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF + 2SFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
Dell
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 18LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 4LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF + 2NVMe Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10NVMe Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 4LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 1U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 16SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 18SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 16SFF + 2NVMe Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon Scalable
  • up to 6144 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 8SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 10SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 16SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 24SFF Bay 2.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 3072 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 12LFF + 2SFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)
HPE
  • 2U (rackmount)
  • up to 2 Xeon E5-2600v3/v4
  • up to 768 GB (24 x DDR4)
  • 15LFF Bay 3.5" (Hot Swap)
  • 2 x PSU (Hot Plug)